| As the game’s oldest trophy, the claret jug has held some unusual items through the years. In 1995, John Daly ate chocolate ice cream from it. In 2009, Stewart Cink had orange juice and barbecue sauce in it at various times. In 2015, Iowa-raised Johnson ate corn from it.
What did reigning Open champion Cam Smith put in the claret jug? “Everything you can think of,” Smith says, adding “I’ve drank espresso from it some mornings and espresso martinis some nights.” Pour-over coffee was a favorite, as was premium tequila and cold beer.
Yet, as our Evin Priest reports, celebratory libations only tell part of the story of Smith’s year with the jug. On a trip back home to Australia, TSA agents examined the jug’s road case after an X-ray illuminated the outline of the famous trophy. Another swabbed for explosives.
Smith’s most cherished memory with the jug, however, came after winning the Australian PGA Championship in November, when his grandparents were there to celebrate with him in his hometown.
As he sets out to defend his title this week at Royal Liverpool and retain the trophy for another year, be sure to check out our complete story on how Cam Smith spent a year with the claret jug. |
